Never miss a local story.

Under the headline "Walpin-gate," the conservative Washington Times charged in an editorial Monday that "political entanglements" were involved in Walpin's removal. Nearly every blog that tackled the subject has pointed out Johnson's celebrity status as a former NBA point guard, and many described him as a friend of the president's.

It's a story that has been simmering for weeks.

Walpin, a conservative attorney, blasted Johnson's settlement with federal prosecutors in April, which called for the mayor, his St. HOPE organization and its former executive director, Dana Gonzalez, to repay more than $400,000 in misused grants. Walpin recently asked Congress to review the case.

Federal prosecutors fired back at Walpin, criticizing his handling of the investigation.